WBEN Commentary & Opinion

Memo to Self: Know the Lyrics!

by Tim Wenger,posted May 20 2013 9:12AM

I'm thinking if you're asked to sing the national anthem before the start of any event, you should really take it seriously and learn the words and music. We've all heard poor renditions of the anthm over the years. Usually it's simply some artistic twist on the music that makes it go bad. But the singer usually knows the lyrics and doesn't need the crowd to sing along and provide the "bouncing ball".

Singer Alexis Normand is Canadian, so it may be understandable that she is not completely familiar with all the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

But I'm thinking she should have learned the lyrics before agreeing to sing the anthem of the United States before Saturday's Memorial Cup hockey game between the Portland Winterhawks and Halifax Mooseheads.